Summer Essentials: 18 Best Sunglasses for Men

Summer’s around the corner, which means your calendar will soon be filled with beach vacations, backyard BBQs, outdoor weddings, and other social occasions that will (finally) place you in direct sunlight. But before the festivities heat up, you might want to buy a new pair of sunglasses. After all, they’re your most constant summertime companion, right?

Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry—we’ve compiled 18 of the best sunglasses for men, whether you’re adding another quality pair to your collection or looking to finally purchase that pricey pair you’ve had your eye on for months.

Knockaround Sunset Premium

You know the drill—you drop a ton of cash on a pair of sunglasses only to sit on them when you’re getting in the car. Luckily for you, Knockaround exists. They make affordable glasses that still look good, and they come in a virtual rainbow of colors and designs, meaning you can buy up a bunch and switch them out for different occasions—all without breaking the bank. [Purchase: $19]

TOMS Marco Black

Embodying the retro design you might have seen your father or uncle wearing in the 80s, the Marco Black features a distinct double-bridged frame front and arms striped with black, white, and light blue. Since they’re made by the famous charitable shoemaker TOMS, every pair of glasses purchased will result in the company helping give sight to a person in need, as part of their One for One program, so you’ll look good and feel good. [Purchase: $90]

Warby Parker Batten

If you’re looking for something lighter than the solid, pitch-black wayfarers you’ve been sporting, look no further than Warby Parker’s Batten in Jet Silver. Aviator-style glasses made with ion-plated titanium frames and fitted with polarized lenses dipped in anti-scratch coating, these are a pair of sunglasses that will transition excellently from a mid-day coffee run from the office to Friday happy hour. [Purchase: $145]

Han Kjobenhavn Timeless

Embrace Euro sensibilities with these classic round glasses made by Copenhagen-based design brand Han Kjobenhavn. The light-colored acetate frames and lenses made by Carl Zeiss (the legendary German lens manufacturer) will look so good on you that it’s perfectly acceptable that you can’t pronounce the name. [Purchase: $145]

Ray-Ban Original Classic Wayfarer

If you get easily overwhelmed by all of the choices you’re presented with when scouting out new sunglasses, trust in this—you can never go wrong with Ray-Ban wayfarers. Since they were created in 1952, these glasses represent iconic, classic Americana in a way that few others do. They’ve been sported by everyone from presidents to Blues Brothers—and yes, they’ll look good on you too. [Purchase: $155]

Oakley Frogskin

While other sunglass brands are known for crafting lifestyle pairs, Oakley boasts a reputation of making sunglasses worn by people who are in motion—skiing, snowboarding, surfing, skateboarding, and the like. This means that any pair of Oakleys you buy are going to stand up to everything you throw at them. These square-framed, polarized Frogskin glasses sport Oakley’s signature colored lenses and will make perfect vacation glasses. [Purchase: $160]

Leonard Sunglasses Illesteva

Like your summer schedule, these Illestevas from Italy’s Leonard Sunglasses have a lot going on, which—in this case—is a good thing. You’d be hard-pressed to find classic tortoise-shell frames paired with neon blue mirrored lenses, but that’s what makes these glasses so unique. [Purchase: $177]

Shwood Eugene

If you want a conversation starter, try wearing wooden sunglasses. Everyone—bartenders, women at the bank, your father-in-law—will want to know what the deal is. The wood for the glasses are sustainably harvested and meticulously crafted in the company’s Portland-based workshop (Shwood also makes sunglasses made out of upcycled Louisville Sluggers) and the G15 lenses were originally developed for US Air Force pilots. [Purchase: $179]

Shwood Francis Titanium

If you’re looking for a virtually indestructible pair of sunglasses, look no further than Shwood’s Francis glasses, which are made out of sleek, lightweight black titanium. The coldness of the titanium is warmed by Shwood’s signature wooden arms, making these glasses a truly unique choice to spruce up your sunglasses collection. [Purchase: $189]

RetroSuperFuture Classic Tutti Frutti

An Italian brand known for its eclectic, colorful glasses, RetroSuperFuture’s Tutti Fruttis blends the classic design of an all black wayfarer with an interior designed to be reminiscent of a true Italian holiday. They’re truly business in the front, party in the back—the perfect pair to wear to work and straight into the weekend. [Purchase: $200]

Ray-Ban Clubmaster Aluminum

Styled after the classic horn-rimmed glasses worn by men in the 1950s and 1960s, Ray-Ban’s Clubmaster would be unique enough on its own, but then they go and make them out of aluminum, taking everything to the next level. Take the cool, light-weight aluminum glasses, retro style, and add brushed gold finishes? You’ve got yourself an awesome pair of glasses that nobody on the subway will be wearing, guaranteed. [Purchase: $215]

Shuron Freeway Black Fade

A twist on the classic wayfarer frame, these Shuron Freeways fade from black to clear and feature polarized lenses. Made by a South Carolina-based company that has been cranking out quality sunglasses since 1865, these are sunglasses your grandfather would be proud of you for wearing. [Purchase: $215]

Oliver Peoples West Cabrillo

Created in Malibu, Oliver Peoples’ West collection reflects a beachy aesthetic that’s perfect for all of your summertime jaunts. These glasses feature a tortoise-patterned acetate frame and brown lenses and arms that taper into wire that bends over the ears, offering a unique touch that sets them apart from other tortoise-shelled glasses. [Purchase: $265]

Saturdays NYC Mitsu

When Saturdays NYC opened in 2009, it established a brand dedicated to servicing customers who love the surf lifestyle but live and work in NYC (not the first place you think of when you think of hitting the beach). The Mitsu—handcrafted in Japan and bearing light frames with anti-reflective coating and glass-polarized lenses—are perfect for the beach (regardless of what coast its on). [Purchase: $295]

Garrett Leight Wilson

It’s all about dressing the part, and if you’re looking to impart a relaxed, beachy, vaguely hippie vibe to your summer, try out a pair of these Garrett Leight Wilsons—the small, rounded glasses that John Lennon made popular back in the day. [Purchase: $340]

Tom Ford Marlon Square

Most polarized lenses either come in classic black or a goofy rainbow of colors—these Italian-made Tom Ford Marlons bring brown into the mix, and it works. They manage to look classic yet unique, with a shiny gunmetal frame, tortoise shell brow bar, and gradient brown polarized lenses. [Purchase: $360]

Paul Smith Acetate & Metal

British designer Paul Smith is known for his playful clothing and accessories, and these classic horn-rimmed glasses feature his signature zebra stripes on the front and on the sides. These glasses are sure to help you take a walk on the wild side this summer. [Purchase: $385]

Oliver Peoples Bernardo

If you like the larger, solid frames that wayfarers offer, but want something a little more unique, try out Oliver Peoples’ Bernardo—a dark, tortoise-shell pair that features a D-frame that looks a bit tech-y, like something the Terminator would wear. [Purchase: $390]